Report Claims Pothole Repair Blackhole Is £12bn

FIGURES from the Asphalt Industry Alliance (AIA) have revealed the extent of the nation’s pothole crisis, with a report claiming the "catch-up" cost of getting roads back into reasonable a condition has soared to £12 billion. The total is an increase on the £10.5 billion figure reported last year, and remains high despite more than two million potholes being filled in England and Wales over the last 12 months. This was despite a 20% decrease in the shortfall in annual road maintenance budgets reported by local authorities, with the shortfall reducing from an average of £6.2 million to £5.1 million per authority in England.

Driven: Citroen DS3

The Citroën DS3's success has taken many – Citroën included – by surprise. The company has been forced to increase production since the car went on sale 12 months ago, in the light of unprecedented customer appetite. At launch, there were many who felt the DS3's relatively conventional nature did a gross disservice to the famous nameplate (despite the company's protestations that the DS moniker has no connection with its 50s namesake).

Fiat plans new high-performance Abarth models

Abarth Abarth, the tuning company owned by Fiat, is looking to grow the number of models it offers including a hot version of the 500L supermini, MSN Cars can reveal. Speaking exclusively to MSN Cars, Marco Magnanini, the European boss of Abarth, hinted that other models from Fiat could be given the Abarth treatment. When quizzed about the possibility of an Abarth 500L, he said: “The 500 family will offer us options.